Alarm circuit



/6 FlAsHE'e sly/rch' /5 aviles/wu Filed Deo. 28, 1931 R. w. MCBRIEN ET A1.

ALARM CIRCUITS May 7, 1935.

@Trap/Vix Patented May 7, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,000,185 ALARM CIRCUIT Roger W. McBrien, Alton, and Norval F. Wilson, East Alton, Ill.; said Wilson assigner to said McBrien Application December 28, 1931, Serial No. 583,434 2 Claims. (Cl. 117-356) Our invention has relation to improvements in connected to line wire L byconductors I2, I2' electric alarmcircuits and it consists in the novel respectively, while the opposite corresponding features of construction more fully set forth in ends oi' said coils are connected to armatures the specification and pointed out in the claims. I0, l respectively. 5V The present invention is an improvement over The switches 1, 1 and associated parts. just 5- that shown in our pending application, Serial described constitute relays for effecting a con- No. 552,904, filed Juh 24, 1931, and, like that, nection between theirv respective power circuits is particularly directed to an alarm circuit which and the alarm circuit should a fire or a short may be connected to various power circuits in circuit occur in one of the power circuits, as will buildings and residences primarily for sounding, bemore apparent hereinafter, 10 or otherwise giving an alarm in case of nre, and i Our alarm circuit is primarily intended to give sccondarily for permanently opening a. circuity an alarm in case of a fue, consequently, thermothat has been shorted, static switches oi any common type are distribut- The objects oi the present invention are to ed throughout the building thatis protected by l5 simplify and make more .certain of operation our invention. Each thermostatic switch I3 is l5 the circuit described in the above mentioned connected in series with a flasher, or blinker application, which we accomplish by providing (which may be termed a thermo-electric flasha two-step electromametically operated. switch er), comprising contacts Ily and I5, and a coil between the power circuit and an oscillating two 0f llchi'me Wire l5 which iS designed, 0n being circuit control switch, said two-step switch servheated by a flow of current, to separate the con- 20 ing to close either the kalarm circuit in ease of tacts, thus interrupting the ilow of current. As fire, or to open the power circuit in case of a the coil cools, the contacts again come together, permanent short therein. The manner in which producing a continuously interrupted flow of this object is accomplished, together with the current across the conductors of thecircuit.

advantages inherent in our improved device, will The foregoing description shows that fuses 6 25 be better apparent from a. detailed description oi and 6' and coils I I and` I I' are in parallel-series the invention ln connection with the aecomconnection with the power circuit and that when panying drawing, in which: these circuits are operating under load, current ,e Figure l is a diagrammatic view of our imwill ilow through the fuses 6 and 6. However,

- proved alarm circuit applied to two power cirwhen either of thethermostatic switches I3 is 3o cuits connected in parallel; Fig. 2 is a front eleclosed there will be a heavy current ilow through vation ofthe box and apparatus mounted therein either im t or 6 because the vflasher coil I6 for the respective power circuits in the building is of low resistance and the fuses 6 and 8', dethat is to be protected by the device,` the cover pendingon whichswitch I3 isclosed, will be blown 01 the bOX being removed; and Fig. 3 iS a Vertical and cause the current to flow through either coil 35' cross-section through the relay box taken on II or Il'. the line 3--3 of Figih k assuming that thermtatic switch I3 in the Referring to the drawing, the power Circuiti power circuit comprisingr conductors I,-2' closes, comprise conductors I, l and I', I', conductors the coil H will be-energiaed and will withdraw the 40 I, t' being directly connected to line wire L, triggeri from the switch 1',allowing said switch 40 and conductors l, 2' being connected to kfuses to be closed (under the inuence of a spring t, 6 by conductors: I, 3. Conductors 4, 4' 60nhercinafter referred to and shownin Fig. 3) on neet the fuses 6. 6' to line wire L. The ends of me contact 9' (as shown in Fig, 1)l The eneri fuses 6, G connected to conductors 3, 3' arealso gizing of the coil II is but instantaneous since connected by conductors 8, 8 to the pivots 5, 5', the circuit through kthe coil is opened imme- 45 on which are mounted similar double contact diately that the switch 1 breaks contact with the switches 1,1'. Spring contacts 9, 9' are mounted trigger I0'. Therefore, the trigger I0' immediadjaeent to the ends ai switches 1, 1 and said ately resumes its original position (under the inswitches are normally held out of contactwith iiuence of a spring) so as to be in the path of said contacts by triggers I0, I0', which comprise contact 30 which impinges on said trigger. 50 armatures within coils II, II. It will be ob- At this point it should be pointed out that a served that in the drawing the switch 1 is shown transformer T has its primary winding connected in its normal position while the switch 1 is across the line by meansoi conductors I8 and shown after it has been released to engage con- I9 leading to one end of said winding and con- 05 im e'. corresponoim ends of cous u, u' are doctor ze ieadinzfromtne other ena ofthe wind- 55 ing to a trigger armature 2I normally operating 46 and a pair of contacts 41, 41 in parallel thereto hold the switch 22 out of engagement with with and adapted to be closed by the warping a contact 23, the pivot end of switch 22 being action produced when the coil 46 becomes sutilconnected to line wire L by a conductor 24. ciently heated. The coil 46 is of sufhciently high nected in series with the 110 volt line. The secowing through coil 45 to attract armature 2I ondary winding of the transformer T is conuntil the contacts 41, 41 have been brought tonected to the primary winding by a conductor gether. It will take approximately 40 seconds 25 and at the opposite end to a coil 21 by a confor the coil 46 to become sufiiciently heated to l ductor 26, the opposite end of said coil being close the gap between contacts 41, 41 and allow l0 ing to the primary winding is a matter of conso that it may close against the contact 23. On venience as said connection might just as well be account of this time element the switch 22 canmade to the wire I8. It is thus apparent that not be closed on the contact 23 as the result of l5 the circuit of the transformer secondary is closed a short in 'the power circuit. This circuit just when either of the switch levers 1, 1 engage traced may be termed the alarm relay circuit as contact c or 3. The transformer secondary cirit operates the relay comprising elements 2l 22 cuit closed by the action of switch 1 may be 23 and 45 to close the alarm circuit which comtraced as follows: prises line wire L', conductor 24, switch lever 22, 20

From one end of the transformer secondary contact 23, conductor 24', alarm conductor I8 and through conductor 26, coil 21, conductor 29, to line wire L. Obviously, the release of switch contact 9', switch lever 1', conductor 8', conlever 22 opens the transformer primary circuit. ductor 3', conductor 2', through the closed switch Thus, it is apparent that if any of the thermo- 25 I3 and flasher' (elements I4, I5 and I 6) to constatic switches I3 are closed and remain closed 25 ductor I and line wire L, conductor I8, coiiducfor an appreciable length of time, the alarm relay tor I9, conductor 25 and transformer secondary is actuated to close the alarm circuit, producing Whatever Curl'ent may leak tl'lrcu'i'h the iced the ala-rm at the fire department, or in other across conductors I', 2 is negligible and will not suitable places,

affect the action of the coil 21. 'I'he actuation Some provision must be made for preventing 30 of the switch lever 1l breaks the connection bethe alarm circuit from being actuated, by a short tween the power circuit and the line and connects in any of the power circuits, We, therefore, are the transformer secondary in series with the embodying in the invention e safety circuit, by power circuit. This results in the flow of a low Ineens of which the power circuit, impaired by voltage current from the transformer secondary e, permanent Snort, will be immediately opened 3 through the coil 21 and the asher (elements so that no damage may result to any apparatus i4, 5 and I6) causing current to intermittently that may be the cause of the short. We will as- DeSS tlncugh the cOil 27 and intermittently atsume that conductors I and 2 are shorted so as tract armature 32 depending from cat 33 Within to cut out the resistance of the load on this cir- Ceeing 3l. cuit. This will cause a current ow, just as in 40 The Casing 34 and its associated parts about the case above described, when the switch I3 to be described comprise an oscillating control is elosed, which causes the fuse 6 to blow and switch for closing either the alarm circuit, or the then aetnates switoh 1 However, the flow of Safety circuit ebOut t0 be described. The Casing current through the coil 21 instead of being inllaSeWell 35 depending frclnit normally filled termittent, as in the case of fire, will now be 45 With lnelcury t0 the level indicated by 1U in the steady and the float 33 will be drawn downward- Cllllein and a partition 35 diVideS the Casing ly into the mercury in casing 34 and held down intO tWO COInPeItlnentS 37 and 33- There iS a so as to cause the displaced mercury to contact small port 36' at the bottom of the partition 36. with the terminal as, which is connected to a Compartment 37 hOuSeS the float 33 With its high resistance coil49 of asecond thermal switch 50 depending armature 32 extending into the Well similar to switch 43. The cou 49 is also con- 35 and ccinpertment 38 has contacte 39 and 40 nected to contacts 30, 3U by the conductor 3I so 10115561Y end, 0f cculSe, ClOSeI' t0 the level 0f the Ilow through the coil 49, it being remembered f5 mercury when the actuating coil 21 is de-enerthat Contact 3c is in engagement with trigger I0. 5.3 Sized. There ie also a Contact 4| extending intO When the coil 49 has been sufficiently heated the bottom of the well 35 and making permanent Contacts 51, 52 will be Warped together and proelectric connection with the mercury. The intervide a shunt path for the current around the mittent how of low voltage current through the con 49, resulting in an increased current HOW C0 coil 21 causes the float 33 to bob up and dOWIly through the coil II which becomes energized, and (50 or oscillate in the mercury, displacing some of withdraws the trigger I 0 from switch contact 30, the mercury which splashes over the partition 36 thus opening the circuit at this point, and at the into compartment 38, raising the level therein Seme time opening the circuit of coil 21 at S. until the mercury touches contact 40. When this The power circuit l, 2 is now completely out of contact dc, the oscillating control switch circuit It will be noted that the gap between contacts which closes the alarm circuit is activated. 5i, 52 is less than between the contacts 41, 41 so This OScilletng Ccntrcl Switch Circuit iS as fOlthat the safety circuit above dened will close k lows: from conductor I8 to contact 4I through before the alarm circuit is closed. l0 the mercury in casing 34 to contact 40, through It is apparent that even though switch 1, or 1', 70 conductor 42 to the thermo-electric element 43, has been actuated by the closing of switch I3 through conductor 44 to coil 45 associated with (due to nre) it is still in condition to respond to armature 2l, through said armature and switch the effects of a permanent short circuit in order 22 to conductor 24 and line wire L. The therniothat the circuit may be opened so that the alarm electric switch comprises a high resistance coil circuit may respond to effects in other circuits Cir bem my Mge' resulto. `Maishor in one' a metallic bracket Biwhich assists m fastening d"th0'pvwier circuits Vdoeiilai'ilfimt'iliiont! with the panel 64 to the member 6|. There is` also a. :parution atom" impmai metallic'bracket 82 secured to member 66 inthe nection with another power amonio-M merely backL oi box B and a connecting bracket t3 is resultain the particular pollen circuit ham! une iiastened toA brackets 8|, 62. The brackets 83 of '5 snort beine temporariliy' 'I from the respective switcnunits inbox B are con-` aervice. f -f` 1'rieetedbyabus-barn. m f

AB heretofore showin afli'edlllthervtoinw `Coil Il yis mounted between members 62 and the thermoetatic switchf it, fsa 'tw' they will 63 and is provided withva movablecore, or armabe under the mimetica ofwel neatY will ture.. I0, said armature being urgedfupwardly by 10 canse the switches to close and' produce i inaspring 85 seated in socket 86 within the coil. terrllpoed eurentow though Maaik .21 aneth There are also brackets 61, 66 opposite the botlntinl the eontrol'swlhvccmprlilntthe" easing tom of the panel 14, said bracketsv being conn uid amociated Trikes Woluwe :een nected by ak bracket t9. Brackets 69, 'of each wel me um to una unit are also connected by bus-bar 66. 15 A short in theetrci! bring!2 lntoop'aiaitw the. It will bel observed that the lsocket member 61 niet? civeultthrough omringd swiocheonis provided with an annular flange 61', which tacts u, l2 by the warming d coil Il and flange is adapted to engagey the membersi, the downward pull' on the control switch. Howl of lever 1 after the vlever. 1 Yhas been actuated by mr; in the casco! an 'overload the cui'rmtow the release of trigger armature Hl. As above 29 I not as greatk 'as when there is a shoot, caving pointed out, the spring 8E! actuates the lever 1 tothe resiscdnllm einem, ariainsumc'ien when the armature ill releases it and it is oscilto heilt the coil 4o to a que necnsmy'to bring lated to a position where it isk inclined just about contacts Llftogetheranxi oper the control oppositely to its inclination as shown in Fig. 3. BWM. In order to again place the lever 'I in operatixe 2o' f The construction o! the mechanism in the reposition it must bereset or oscillated back to the lay box B may be described as follows: position shown in Fig. 3, which is done by the A pair of nbre supporting elements 60, 60 are removal of the plug 16 which allows the spring mounted in the box B in spaced relation for 13 to reciprocate the contact member 66 through the purpose of supporting the switches 1, 1' and the panel '54, carrying the lever 1 with it by vir- 30 associated mechanism. Since the switches and tue of the engagement of the annular flange 61 their associated parts are identical but one will with the lever members 66, 66. The fuse plug, be described. Each element 60 is U-shaped, havas explained above, has previously been delng an upper leg 6| and a lower leg 62, below stroyed, therefore the mere act of removing the which in spaced relation is disposed a fibre block destroyed plug for the purpose of inserting a new 35 63. An insulating panel 64 extends from top to one restores the lever 1 to its operative position. bottom oi the box B and is secured to the mem- A box 9| is provided for housing the switch 34, bers 6|, 62 andblock 63. Mounted between the switch 22 and associated parts. There is alsoa back of the member 66 and the panel 64, about resetting stem 92 mounted in one side wall of midway between arms 6| and 62, is a metallic said box for resetting the switch 22 after the 40 block 65, on which is pivotally mounted switch same has been released to close the alarm cirlever 1 (and of course 1'). Theswitch lever comcuit. By pushing the stem 92 inwardly over the prises two flat sections 66, 66 separated intertension of spring 93 the switch is moved to overmedate their ends to provide Space for receiving come the tension of spring 94 untn it is again the metallic block 65, and 8,180 the Spring Socket bearing against armature 2|, 45 61 0f a reoiploooble Contact member ss The Having described my invention. I claim: reciprocating member 6B also includes a pin 69 1. A combined power and alarm system com- Whioh 1S disposed Wm'li!!y Sooketfmombof 51 and prising a power circuit connected to a source of xed to it, and the Pin iS Slida'bly mounted m power and including a fuse in series therewith, plato 1 Secured to member 5 and a bushing 1| a two-step electromagnetically operated device 50 is fgxedin opening 12 in panel 64. 4 Acoiled Spring having a stepping magnet for controlling the 13 i5 disposed over the Pin 59 and Seated i the stepping thereof normally connected in shunt to Socket 51, Sold Spring operating to Press the con' said fuse, a normally open alarm switch, an tact member outwardly through the Panel 6L A intermittent interrupter having interrupting con- Scoke' 14 iS Secured to the outside of Panel 64 tacts and control means therefor, a connection 55 concentric with bushing 1| and has on opening across the power circuit including in series the 15 through the bottom to Permit the Pin 59 t0 alarm switch, the interrupter contacts and the DRSS therethrough, and o fuse P1118 1s (Carrying interruptor control means, the capacity of the the fuse 6) is adapted to be screwed into the fuse being such that upon the Occurrence of a socket and have its vente! Contact 6118880 Pin 59- short across the power circuit or upon the closure 60 AS the plus 16 iS Screwed into the Socket 14 the of the aiarm switch the fuse w1i1b1ow,tnereby dipin 69 is pressed inwardly until the inner end of vemng current to the Stepping magnet and cause pin 69 engages contact 11 mounted at the back of the Stepping magnet to step the twmstep dev-me member 60. In order that an improvised conone Step, Switching means Operated by the mst tact may notreadily be modo from the Socket' step of the device for opening the first magnet 65 14 to the Din 59 a ble bushing 18 is mserted circuit by disconnecting the power source from in the bottom of the Socket 14 the power circuit and preparing a second circuit Each Switch lever 1, 1' has 11's contact 3 3' therefor, means for differentiating between the Secured to if' in Spooed Telo-tion by means 0f nbre intermittent closure of the power circuit by the brackets 19, 19 and 8- Sprn 0 Secured 'Go P93161 intermitten interruptor and a permanent short 70 64 and lever 1 or 1' exerts tension on the lever across the power Circuit moulding means for S0 aS t0 urge thc lower lever arm toward the closing a first circuit in response to the operation panel 64 and the upper lever arm toward the of the intermittent means and this circuit and contact 9, or 9' secured by means of a screw s to a second circuit in response to a permanent short the member 6|. Each screw s also passes through and for closing the first circuit a predetermined 75 interrupter interrupting contacts and control means therefor, a. connec- ROGER W. MCBRIEN. NORVAL F. WILSON. 

